Water Heaters

Conventional Water Heaters

Water heaters are one of many modern conveniences that we take for granted daily, as it is truly one of those items that you don’t realize what you’ve got til’ it’s gone! Do you know if your water heater is an electric or gas unit? Do you know how many gallons the tank holds? Does your unit have a blower on top? How quickly can the tank “recover?” and what does this actually even mean?! These questions and many others can be answered by one of Junior’s Plumbing’s qualified technicians so call us now to schedule your inspection, and don’t wait until it’s too late and you’re out of hot water or your tank is leaking.

What are my options with an electric tank?

There are many different options when it comes to heating water in your home. With electric water heaters there are heat pump and hybrid units that offer quicker recovery and higher efficiency. The standard for electric tanks is a 50 gallon and there are little-to-no options to upgrade your residential tank size on the electrics. Since upgrading your tank size is likely not a feasible option, we can install what’s called a mixing valve to increase the output of your hot water tank. This tank booster can immediately increase the hot water output on your unit by up to 40%. So, whether you’re installing a new tank, or want one added to your existing heater, we can add the mixing valve to boost your hot water output.

What are my options with a natural gas or propane tank?

When it comes to gas water heaters the options are almost endless. There are standard vent heaters, direct vent heaters, and then “power vent” heaters that use a forced air blower to produce hot water, or recover, quicker than a standard vent heater. Mixing valves can also be installed to upgrade your hot water output on natural gas and propane water heaters as well.

How can I extend the warranty and lifespan of my water heater?

From your standard 40 or 50 gallon electric water heater, or your 40-50 gallon gas or propane water heaters up to 75 gallon tanks, most manufacturers sell warranty extension kits. These kits typically consist of a dual anode rod for added tank protection and in turn extends the life of your water heater warranty anywhere from 10-12 years depending on the unit. Most all 40, 50 and 75 gallon tank heaters come with a standard 6 year parts and tank manufacturer’s warranty. Some manufacturers even sell a 75 gallon tank that comes standard with an 8 year parts and tank warranty. In general we recommend an annual inspection of your water heaters anode rod(s) and replacement at the first sign of deteriorating as these anode rods are known as the “sacrificial part” in water heaters. The anode rod is literally installed to intercept the corrosion and damage that will ultimately cause your heater to fail indefinitely. While inspection of your anode rod should be done annually, this does not necessarily mean you should be forced to replace it annually. We recommend replacing your water heater’s anode rod every four to five years for maximum performance and optimizing the lifespan of your water heater. If you are finding that your anode rod is deteriorating more often than every four to five years then you likely have severe water quality issues and should check out our ‘Water Treatment’ page for more information on how to protect your plumbing appliances and fixtures from harsh water quality.

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are becoming more and more popular these days and there are many options available using natural or propane gas. Electric tankless units are manufactured, however, we have made a business decision to not offer or install them as they really are counter-intuitive as they lack the efficiency and output that customers desire in a tankless water heater. We install gas units made by a couple of different manufacturers and they offer industry leading efficiency and warranties beyond even the standard life expectancy of a tank unit. Even if you currently have electric only now and no gas at the house, we can often recommend getting a propane contract with a local supplier to facilitate the tankless heater installation. Many factors are involved when choosing the right installation location for a tankless water heater so feel free to contact us at any time for more information or to set up a consultation for install!